This book should be required reading for any aspiring creative person. J Michael Staczynski's work is both humanizing for how he made it into professional work, but also so god-damned honest in what tolls to the human soul the creative process can extort and how approaching it with determination is the only way through. This is a powerful work, and my blathering isn't going to convince you one way or another to read it, but if you trust the opinions of a stranger on the Internet then trust me when I say that you must read this book. I didn't go nearly through what the author went through, but if he can make it through hell and come out positive and radiant then my excuses are dry crackling crepe paper by comparison.